Per the governor’s Executive Order 170, North Carolina will remain in Phase 3 for three more weeks as health officials continue to monitor the state’s coronavirus trends.

North Carolina will remain in Phase 3 until 5 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, unless Executive Order 170 is repealed, replaced or rescinded by another applicable Executive Order.

Under this continuation of Phase 3:

• Bars’ outdoor seating areas may remain reopened, subject to reduced capacity limits and other restrictions. Indoor bar areas remain closed. 

• Music halls, night clubs, lounges, adult entertainment, venues for live performances, arenas with spectators and theaters where guests are seated may remain reopened, subject to reduced capacity limits for outdoor spaces and subject to the mass gathering limit (25 guests per facility) for indoor spaces. 

• The outdoor areas of amusement parks may remain reopened, subject to reduced capacity limits and other restrictions. 

• Movie theaters may remain reopened, subject to reduced capacity limits and other restrictions.

• Meeting spaces in hotels, conference centers, meeting halls and reception venues may continue to host receptions, meetings and other functions, subject to reduced capacity limits and other restrictions.

• Gaming establishments may remain reopened, subject to reduced capacity limits. 

• Very Large Outdoor Facilities with a capacity of more than 10,000 Guests may remain reopened at 7% of the facility’s total seating capacity, if they meet certain requirements.

Under Phase 3, the following measures also remain in place:

• The Mass Gathering limit remains at 25 indoors and 50 outdoors.

• Indoor seating areas in bars remain closed.

• Indoor rides at amusement parks remain closed. 

• Fitness and exercise facilities remain open, subject to reduced capacity limits and other requirements. 

• Restaurants remain subject to capacity limits and other requirements for in-person dining. 

• Personal care businesses such as hair salons, nail salons, barber shops and more remain subject to capacity limits and other requirements.

• Museums and aquariums remain open, subject to reduced capacity limits and other requirements.

• Face coverings are still required in public when it is not possible to maintain social distancing from non-household members. In Phase 3, this requirement applies to any public place or business, indoor or outdoor.

• Alcohol sales are still required to cease from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

The full text of Executive Order No. 170 can be read at https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/EO170-Phase-3-Extension.pdf. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document about Phase 3 can be found at https://files.nc.gov/gov…/documents/files/EO-169-FAQ_0.pdf.

People can protect themselves and others against the spread of the coronavirus by following the Executive Order and remembering “the three Ws” from the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services:

• Wear a face covering

• Wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer and

• Wait 6 feet apart from other people to keep your distance.